Hardcore by Distinction: A Look at the Greatest Hardcore Bands in the Context of Hardcore Part V

The original D.I. lineup featuring Johnny from the Cobra Kai dojo.

By Stevil, Sometime between 2021 and May, 2023

This has proven to be a long, difficult task for a number of reasons. First and foremost, laziness. Getting inspired to write about bands after having previously written about various members of many of the bands listed makes it difficult to stay focused. Second, determining what classifies a band as hardcore has sparked a number of internal debates. Third/last, and most importantly, the initial goal was to identify the top-100 bands out of about 2,000. That was a tall task. Too tall. We're stopping at 51 (Mariner fans understand the significance of that number). We intend to turn our attention to thrash and melodic bands in the near future as well as revisiting the art of drumming. I guess you could call this a State of the HVH Blog Address. 

With that out of the way, here's the next ten...

42. The Exploited

These boys from Edinburgh have been at it for a good 44 years now. Some people think of them as the godfathers of street punk, and that probably isn't a stretch. But they were arguably the Robin Hood's of punk as well, having started their career taking from the ri...well, businesses, and giving to the po...well, locals. More importantly (I think) is that they are one of the bands largely responsible for the association of mohawks and punk rock in film. 

43. Adrenaline O.D.

Punk rock, speed punk, speed metal...whatever. AOD gave punk rock the quick-witted sarcasm Johnny Rotten could only dream of doing and they gave the world the first Rock 'n' Roll Gas Station. The most important one, anyway. Another early-80's band from the Northeastern United States, these guys rarely slowed things down, hence being one of the few bands that have truly lived up to their name over multiple decades. 

44. Murphy's Law

One of the best names ever thought of for a band, punk or otherwise, Murphy's Law were a blend of just about everything you could expect from punk rock in way of musical styles. Quick to mock as they were to mosh, they took aim at whatever tickled their fancy. A personal favorite is 'Care Bear'. If there were ever a band to lead the anti-extreme PC movement, it was them, and HVH is grateful for it. Feel free to read into that too far. 

45. LA's Wasted Youth

Not to be confused with a band by the same name across the pond, LA's 'Wasted Youth' was one of Southern California's great hardcore acts that eventually fell into the crossover camp. That era was good, too, but it's the 'Reagan's In' era that delivered short sets of pure, hardcore gold. Members of Wasted Youth went on to play in well-known acts (or came from well-known acts), so think of them as a branch of the hardcore family tree.

46. Uniform Choice

One of the first, if not the first, California Straight Edge band, they represent a rare example of a band who put out better LPs than EPs & singles, but their importance on the scene was a big one nonetheless. 'Screaming for Change' is a must-have for any hardcore fan. Lots of Dischord influences can be heard, perfectly blended with typical SoCal punk rock. What's not to like?

47. Red Cross / Redd Kross

One of the original 'Church' bands, Red Cross was right there among the first in LA and still remain one of the most influential. Their name alone sparked controversy, which ironically had nothing to do with the inspiration for the name (the masturbation scene in 'The Exorcist'), and they still generate talk till this day. Their sound changed (softened) with time, but make no mistake, they're one of the greats, and one of the first hardcore acts to feature a female touch (not related to the film). Their first EP (self-titled) is a necessity. In fact, all of their early work is a necessity. 

48. D.I.

These guys were the love children of Adolescents (give that some thought) and Social Distortion, and were arguably victims of AIDS. I mean, ADZ. Seriously, Corey Royer was the architect of this band and they were a fun one throughout the 80's and never let up. The name originally stood for 'Drug Ideology'. They chose a more appropriate name for the acronym amid pressure from the PMRC. I might be remembering that wrong.

49.  Anti-Nowhere League

One of Britain's better batch of bruisers, ANL were semi-quietly one of the better hardcore acts in England. One of the few that arguably got 'harder' with time, much of the credit goes to Animal and...Mr. Magoo. Ever wonder what inspired the comic? Now you know. If you don't have 'We Are...The League', get it. Now. Then pick up the rest of their releases.

50. Dr. Know

An original Nardcore band, and not to be confused with the iconic guitarist of Bad Brains, Dr. Know tore it up in the early 80's They tore through a number of different members as well, but they were a machine that just kept going and their influence fueled other bands as members immigrated into other well-respected acts over the years. They officially called it quits 13 years ago.

51. The Meatmen

The Meatmen may not have been the most popular punk rock band, but the mighty Tesco Vee has recruited some of the biggest names in punk rock to keep the dream alive and any veteran musician will tell you that Meatmen are a must-have in your record collection. Having plowed through just as many members as Dr. Know (and a number of other bands), it's been hard to keep track of their lineups, but the one thing that has held true is that they always delivered. 

Conclusion

The truth is, about half of these 51 bands (hey, I said about half) could be swapped for 100 others. Again, we purposely left out the thrash/crossover and melodic bands, plus a handful of others that kind of fall between the cracks. An honorable mention list will follow these lists, which are admittedly biased to reflect the bands we believe have been the most influential. 

There's much more to come, and hopefully more frequently. If you have a gripe or complaint, we challenge you to do something about it: contribute to HVH! We welcome well-written opinion pieces as much as fact-driven posts. 

Até mais